Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn is returning to his roots for his first NFL head coaching job.
Glenn, one of the top coaching candidates this season, accepted the role New York Jets head coach on Wednesday, becoming the first former player to return to a head coaching position in nearly 50 years, according to ESPN.
Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn after the Minnesota Vikings game on Jan. 5, 2025, at Ford Field in Detroit. (Steven King/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Multiple media outlets broke the news a day after Glenn met with Jets management on Tuesday.
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The New Orleans Saints, who parted ways with Dennis Allen in November, were also reportedly in the running to land Glenn.
A three-time Pro Bowler, Glenn got his start in the NFL as a cornerback when the Jets selected him as the No. 12 in the 1994 draft. He spent eight seasons in New York before being acquired by the Houston Texans in the 2002 NFL Expansion Draft.
Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn talks with linebacker Jack Campbell during the Minnesota Vikings game at Ford Field in Detroit on January 5, 2025. (IMAGIN)
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Glenn turned to coaching shortly after his playing career ended in 2008. Most notably, he spent the last four seasons overseeing the Lions’ defense and talked to several teams before accepting the job in New York.
Glenn also beat out more than a dozen other coaches in the Jets’ extensive search, which included Brian Flores, Jeff Hafley, Ron Rivera and Rex Ryan, among others.
According to The Associated Press, Glenn was the only candidate to receive a second interview.
Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn watches a replay of a 45-31 loss to the Washington Commanders in an NFC divisional playoff game at Ford Field in Detroit on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. (IMAGIN)
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Glenn takes on fans eager for a change. He replaced Roberto Saleh, who was fired just five games into the season.
The Jets’ struggles looked like they were coming to an end when the four-time league MVP Aaron Rodgers was introduced in 2023. But a season-ending injury in his New York debut derailed those plans.
The 2024 season wasn’t much of an improvement — even the addition of Rodgers’ favorite target couldn’t change the outcome, and the Jets extended their historic playoff drought.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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